Top Dogs Goose & Maverick Flying High

Guest Post from Dr. Bill Craig, Chief Medical and Underwriting Director at PurinaCare Pet Health Insurance. Dr. Craig brings a claim case to life — in this case they are golden retrievers Goose and Maverick from Richmond, Virginia.

Elizabeth Martin was no stranger to the rising cost of veterinary care. About 10 years ago, her Golden Retriever, Cessna, had to have Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery, a procedure that carried a $3,000 price tag. At the time, it was a price she was willing, and able, to pay.

It wasn’t until a few years later Martin heard about pet health insurance. On her local news, there was a story about a family that had to make a decision between saving their dog’s life or paying rent, putting food on the table—essentially maintain all the basic costs of living. Martin realized that she needed to protect her dogs against any major medical problems that could possibly arise. Especially with the economy the way it was in 2009, this protection made more sense than ever.

In November 2009, Martin signed up her Golden Retrievers, Goose and Maverick, for major medical coverage with PurinaCare Pet Health Insurance—and not a day too soon. In December 2009, Maverick developed a limp on his left rear leg. X-rays revealed Maverick was in need of Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy surgery to repair his ACL. Six weeks later Maverick required surgery on his other knee. The two ACL repairs resulted in a $6,800 veterinary bill. PurinaCare reimbursed Martin over $5,300 of that cost.

“For as little as a dollar a day, my PurinaCare policy gave me the protection I needed to cover my ‘hairy kid’,” Martin said. “Most importantly, it allowed him to get back to his regular, playful lifestyle of just being a dog.”

This is only one of thousands of examples of how pet health insurance can help pet owners save money on the rising cost of veterinary care—but more importantly, it is an example of how having pet health insurance gives owners peace of mind in making the decision to do what is best for their pet without worrying about cost.